crony

noun

ˈkrō-nē How to pronounce crony (audio)
Definition of cronynext
1
as in associate
a person frequently seen in the company of another the criminal's cronies were also closely questioned about the illegal gambling operation

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in friend
a person who has a strong liking for and trust in another only my cronies can call me by my nickname

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of crony Other aides and crony capitalists in his circles are of a similar age. — Julian G. Waller, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026 Just as Sky was going up for a moonsault, Morgan’s Judgment Day cronies got involved. — Ryan Gaydos, FOXNews.com, 2 Aug. 2026 Ilham Aliyev continued his father’s dictatorial legacy, imprisoning his critics and enriching his family and cronies, while polishing his country’s image by hosting Formula One events and the Eurovision Song Contest. — Literary Hub, 30 July 2026 The happy couple weren’t even able to celebrate Lucy saying yes to the big question Tim popped while down on knee, because they were immediately tranquilized and kidnapped by an Everett crony. — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 28 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for crony
Recent Examples of Synonyms for crony
  1. associate
  2. friend
  3. colleague
  4. buddy
  5. accomplice
  6. peer
  7. comrade
Noun
  • Or Syria, where the government is now led by al-Qaeda associates.
    — Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Due to changing storm patterns, the kelp forests are also battered by more damaging winter swells, according to Scripps associate researcher Ed Parnell.
    — Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of associate
Noun
  • The service The service at Sala is seamless and friendly, and from arrival, the front desk staff feels more like a group of friends than a removed set of hotel employees.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Diana can be heard in revealing form in the tapes, which were conversations recorded with her friend James Colthurst in 1991.
    — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of friend
Noun
  • Alongside learning the requirements of a new role and meeting new colleagues, those moving internationally must also adapt to a new culture and potentially learn a new language.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
  • One of the first steps to finding the right financial advisor could be referrals from your colleagues, friends or family.
    — Kate Dore, CFP®, EA,Kelli Grant, CFP®, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of colleague
Noun
  • After two turns as a mentor, is Pearce ready to join her buddy Green as a coach?
    — Melinda Newman, Billboard, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Swift returned at the end of the show to present her buddy with a birthday cake.
    — Lynette Rice, Deadline, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of buddy
Noun
  • All a novelist can do when representing Bush Two’s accomplices is to embody plausible ideologies in specific fictional characters.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
  • So when a charming stranger and his accomplice arrive with an offer, Boyd makes a high-stakes deal for himself and his team.
    — Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of accomplice
Noun
  • The older cardinal looked down toward a group of their peers at the front of the room.
    — Scott Detrow, NPR, 3 Oct. 2026
  • For all the rock in their sound, Dexter and the Moonrocks still live in Texas, playing shows in the Texas country market, and earning the respect of their peers in that scene along the way.
    — Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of peer
Noun
  • During the May 27 Roscosmos EVA that featured cosmonauts Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergei Mikaev, Fedyaev controlled the station’s European Robotic Arm (ERA) with both his comrades attached.
    — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 17 Sep. 2026
  • That day, DiPasquale and nine of his comrades were called to Tower 2 just after it was struck.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of comrade

Browse Nearby Words

cronies
crony
cronyism
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Cite this Entry

“Crony.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/crony. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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